Tech, Autos, & Gear in Layman's Terms Since 2006

AutosCategory

Volkswagen has had some rough times lately but during its troubles with diesel fuel economy, the automaker still manages to build some good vehicles. The midsize 2016 Passat sedan, for example, is on par with its segment competitors and it offers a fun, powerful driving experience while offering very good value.

Sometimes automakers have to be careful with their own success. Take the RX for example, a vehicle that defined a new segment when it launched more than 17 years ago. That was the birth of the luxury utility vehicle and since then many have tried to dethrone the king. Does Lexus still reign supreme with …

Over the past two years, Hyundai has rolled out three variations of its newest-generation Sonata midsize sedan. Last year we tested the Sonata and Sonata Sport versions powered by gasoline and/or turbocharged gasoline engines. Recently we got our turn behind the wheel of the new second-generation Sonata Hybrid sedan.

Last year Acura launched the all-new TLX premium luxury sport sedan. The TL/TSX replacement was well received both by consumers and automotive media alike. We reviewed the base model last year and recently spent time in a TLX with all the bells and whistles along with larger engine and advanced technology.

I’ve been using radar detectors since the 80s — any brand you can think of, I’ve tried it. Every one of them, with the exception of the K40 CALIBRE system that I reviewed in 2005, was a windshield or mirror mounted unit. Eleven years later, and K40 is still the company I look to when something custom installed is …

Do you sometimes just sit in your car and wonder where the heck you are going? Maybe not this trip, but perhaps in life? The new Journey Crossroads Plus from Dodge sounds like the perfect vehicle that is right there with you, waiting for that epiphany when you decide to zig instead of zag.

What do you get when you cross a family hauler with the spirit of design? The 2016 Mazda CX-9 three-row crossover. Mazda’s flagship arrived in its first iteration in 2006 offering seating for up to seven and a break from conventional design. The second-generation vehicle takes family functionality to another level.

The BMW Group is the parent corporation over BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce. No, they did not send me a Rolls-Royce to test drive this past week but they did deliver the “Rolls-Royce” of small cars in the form of the 2016 MINI Cooper Clubman. This new second-generation model is the new maxi-MINI.

On the heels of winning North American Car of the Year, Honda launched the new 2016 Civic Coupe to join the honored sedan sibling in its showrooms. For coupe fans, Honda did more than just hack off a couple of doors in delivering its new coupe to the market, but can it live up to …

Remember the boxy Volvo 240 series sedans and station wagons that were so popular in the 70s and 80s? They were safe, iconic … and did I mention boxy? Well, the Volvo of today is still safe; whether the S90 will be iconic remains to be seen, but “boxy” is no longer a word to …

It has been about five years since I last tested the Durango three-row SUV from Dodge and brother, that’s too long. When asked about which family sport ute I would recommend to folks the Durango is always near the top of my list and now my wife has joined the Dodge fan club as well.

In the fall of 2012, Nissan reintroduced the Sentra compact sedan in its seventh generation form. For 2016, the automaker gives its popular little car a midlife makeover with new styling to match what we’ve seen in the rest of the family lately. Nissan has also updated safety and driving technologies as well.

A little more than a year ago we saw the return of the GMC Canyon midsize pickup. It arrived as a 2015 model with more efficiency and more capability than the previous Canyon (and Chevy counterpart Colorado). For 2016, GMC offers Canyon with a Duramax turbo diesel engine for segment-leading towing and fuel economy.

A few years ago Subaru rolled out a new small utility vehicle dubbed XV Crosstrek. The little cute ute featured most everything Subaru was known for including Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and a smooth Boxer four-cylinder engine. Trouble was that vehicle was overladen with one thing: its name. For 2016, Subaru introduces the Crosstrek.

Despite the drama surrounding the diesel fuel economy cheating scandal, Volkswagen is still one of the leading producers of automobiles globally. And no matter what unfolds in the wake of its recent problems, the automaker still offers some good vehicles and that includes the 2016 Jetta 1.8T compact sedan with turbocharged gasoline engine.

Last fall, Editor-in-Chief Judie Lipsett Stanford introduced you to the all-new 2016 Kia Optima sedan, a vehicle that leads the brand in sales numbers and is largely responsible for Kia’s improved perception. Recently I got my turn behind the wheel of the midsize sedan to see if her first impressions resonate with others.

One of the most anticipated new vehicles for me to drive this year is the Nissan Titan XD. This Titan is nothing like the previous fullsize pickup from Nissan and it is actually a little bit extra. Powered by an all-new Cummins V-8 turbodiesel, the 2016 Nissan Titan XD looks to shake things up in …

The Honda Accord has long been one of the most popular sedans in North America and was the first nameplate built here by the automaker. In its nine generations the model has seen significant upgrades and improvements and for 2016 Accord gets some appreciated styling enhancements along with technology upgrades.

I find myself split on my opinions of the all-new 2016 iA sedan from Scion. And that’s not meant to be a pun as my opinions split almost right down the middle of the vehicle itself. Front? Good. Rear? Not so good. Not to mention the vehicle itself has sort of a split personality.

A few months back I mentioned that it seemed as though I was receiving nothing but repeats from the press fleet of vehicles for review. This is one of those and it arrived in the form of the 2016 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD 4×4, a nearly identical truck to the unit we reviewed last year.

To celebrate National Car Care Month, K40 is sponsoring a giveaway of two of their RLS2 Radar Detectors ($399.99 value each) on their Facebook timeline. All you have to do is visit K40’s Facebook timeline, “like” their Car Care Giveaway Sweepstakes post, and leave a comment answering the question: “When did K40 start offering the industry’s first …